Big Screen Peter: True Grit

Editor’s note: Peter Lewis has agreed to use whatever it is you call his writing style to provide some measure of analysis to those folks who still go to a theater to see a movie.

review by Peter Lewis

Label me with a regional bias, but “True Grit” is one of the best films to come out this year.

The element of humor is the most striking thing about Joel & Ethan Coen’s latest film. While the original starring John Wayne was funny in its own way, this newest incarnation more accurately captures the concise hilarity of Charles Portis’ words.

Portis’ story is an amalgamation of cold revenge, the aforementioned humor and —above all else — humanity. And all from the point of view of a precocious 14 year old girl from Yell County, Arkansas. Having lost her father to a man she considered a “dim-wit,” Mattie Ross sets out to Fort Smith to claim her father’s body, settle his affairs and capture the cold-hearted criminal that shot Frank Ross dead.

All in a day’s work, right?

To forward her desire to bring Frank Ross to justice, Mattie Ross (played marvelously by Haillee Steinfeld) ascertains the services of a Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn, a gun-totin’ U.S. Marshal with “true grit.” While given to imbibe in whiskey, it’s Cogburn’s hardened, merciless disposition that causes Mattie to tab him as her purveyor of justice and revenge.

Cogburn is played by Jeff Bridges. While the idea of playing a gruff, curmudgeonly officer of peace may seem simple, the role is deceivingly difficult. In addition to counterbalancing the politely testy and forward manner of Mattie, the role of Cogburn must also offset the gruff exterior with a protective warmth. This particular aspect is key, because an accessible Cogburn allows for the emotional investment of the audience.

Rounding out the group of protagonists is Matt Damon as La Boeuf, an earnest Texas Ranger who has been tracking the killer Tom Chaney for several years. Damon’s ability to shed the “Southie” skin of his youth and fully embody the ingenuous gooberness of La Boeuf is almost as striking as Bridge’s own achievements as Cogburn.

It is self-evident that the Coens did an excellent job of assembling an absolutely pitch-perfect cast of characters (if there was a better ensemble constructed for a film in 2010, I’ve yet to see it). However, the film is much more than just a stunning ensemble performance. The film is a genuine display of beauty from start to finish.

While still not quite the lands of Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma, the cinematography of “True Grit” does capture images of striking beauty with the surrounding landscapes. From stark cutaways to brilliant night illuminations, the film is bracing in its beauty. And in comparison to the original adaptation, this latest incarnation is quite a bit more violent, though stylishly so. The harsh edge of physical violence is not only a truer vision of reality, but also a natural counterbalance to the verbal levity.

All of this is mentioned to highlight how wonderful the film is. To achieve such greatness, however, the most important decision made throughout the process of creating the film was to give due honor to Portis by abiding the essence of the original story.

• True Grit is playing at the Carmike 14 and the Malco Cinema 12 in Fort Smith, and the Malco Van Buren Cinema. Link here for time and ticket info.

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